Elliptic spring.



No. 636,828. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

C. A. MILLER.

ELLIPTIG SPRING.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

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ELLIPTIO SPRING.

(Application filed Apt. 21, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 S hhhhhhhhh at 2,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. MILLER, OF MARSHALLTOWN, IOlVA.

ELLIPTIC SPRING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 636,828, dated November14, 1899.

Application filed April 21, 1899. Serial No. 713,902. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa,have invented an Elliptical Spring, of which the following is aspecification.

My objects are to prevent the impairment of the tensile strength of theoverlying leaves of springs incident to bolt-holes and notches andshoulders formed at their central portions by the removal of metal, toprevent the longitudinal movements of leaves at their centers relativeto each other, and to provide improved elliptic springs, single anddouble, for cars, carriages, and wherever applicable in machinery forsustaining weight and preventing concussion.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof overlying leaves, clamps for detachably binding them together, andmeans for connecting the ends of the springs with fixed supports toallow longitudinal movements between the end portions of the leaves, ashereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top View of the centralpor tion of a metal leaf for springs; and Fig. 2, an edge view of thesame, showing the manner in which cambers or concaves are formed toprevent longitudinal movements of overlying plates at their centers.Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the centers of the overlyingleaves and the mating parts of the clamp by which the leaves and thedetachable clamp are bound together by means of a removable belt andkey. Fig. 4 is a side View of the clamp and edge View of the parts ofleaves that extend outside of the clamp in opposite directionstherefrom. Fig. 5 is a de' tail view of the pin or'bolt and a key forlocking the mating parts of the clamps together, as required for bindingthe overlying central portions of the leaves rigidly togther.

Fig. 6 is a top view, and Fig. 7 a sectional View, on the line a 00 ofFig. 5, showing the means employed for connecting the ends of a springwith a railway-car or other object or posed of overlying leaves formedand bound together at their centers as contemplated by my invention.

The letter A designates the central portion of the leaf of a springhaving concaves produced in its parallel sides extending from theoutside edges to its center by means of a suitable press and dies toproduce a camber B.

C and C are the mating parts of a metal clamp produced by casting in amold or in any suitable way. 'llheir bottoms D and D are inclinedupward' on their inside or top faces, so that when joined together theywill pro duce a double-inclined plane to engage the concave surfaces orcamber B in a leaf A.

Their inside or bottom faces incline in the same way as shown in Fig. 3and as required to overlie and engage the top surface of the upper leafof the spring.

H and H are integral upward extensions at the tops and centers of themating parts 0 and O and have coinciding bores for the admission of apin or bolt J. The diameter of the bore in the extension H is enlargedat its outer end to admit and countersink the head of the bolt. Theportion of the bolt inthe extension H has a slot J and coinciding slots(not shown) in the extension on the opposite sides of the bore admit akey K as required to lock the bolt J and the mating parts 0 and Osecurely together as required to clamp a plurality of leaves A, havingcambers B, socurely together, so that the overlying leaves are rigidlyunited in such a manner that the tensile strength of each one remainsunimcan be readily disconnected whenever de= sired.

L is the end portion of the top leaf of a spring. It has a centralelongated opening to admit a link or hanger and bearings m and m on theopposite sides of the said opening, as shown in Figs. 6, '7, and 8, toproduce a gibseat.

It is obvious the overlying end portions of the leaves of the springmust all be provided with coinciding openings corresponding with theopening in the end L of the upper leaf in order that a link or hangermay be connected therewith in such a manner that the ends of a springcan be depressed under weight and move up and down as required toaccommo date the spring to the different degrees of pressure and strainto which it may be subjected in practical use. It is also obvious thatthe mating clamps C and C and leaves A may vary in size and number asrequired to produce springs of various sizes and for different purposes,and that the lower ends of the cambers B in the leaf A engage theinclined upper or inside faces of the bottoms of the mating parts C and0 Having thus described the construction and function of each part, thecomplete invention and its operation and utility will be readilyunderstood by persons familiar with the art to which it pertains,andwhat I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patenttherefor, is

1. A clamp for detachably connecting a plurality of leaves in a springconsisting of two mating parts having the inside faces of their tops andbottoms inclined as shown and extensions at tops provided withcoinciding apertures for a pin or bolt as shown and described for thepurposes stated.

2. In an elliptic spring, a plurality of overlying leaves having cambersat their centers and a clamp consisting of two mating parts adapted toinclose the overlying leaves and provided with inside faces at theirtops and bottoms adapted to fit the forms of the overlying springs andalso having extensions at their tops provided with coinciding boltholes,a pin or bolt extending through the holes and means for locking the pinor bolt, arranged and combined as shown and described for the purposesstated.

3. An elliptic spring comprising a plurality of overlying leaves andeach leaf having concaves or cambers at its center, a clamp composed ofmating parts adapted to inelose the overlying centers of the leaves andthe inside faces of their tops and bottoms inclined to conform with thefaces of the leaves contacting therewith, extensions at their topsprovided with coinciding pin-holes, a pin extended through the holes anda key extended through coinciding slots in the pin and one of the matingparts of the clamp, all arranged and combined to operate in the mannerset forth, for the purposes stated.

CHARLES A. MILLER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT T. ELLIS, W. L. PLACE.

